Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

 

The verses of today’s Gospel are a summary of the activity of Jesus. Earlier only conflicts were spoken of, including the conflict of life and death between Jesus and the authorities of Galilee. Now, in the summary, we have the contrary: an immense popular movement, greater than the movement of John the Baptist, because people come also from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, from Transjordan, from the pagan region to encounter Jesus! 

 

All want to see Him and to touch Him. The people are so numerous that Jesus Himself is concerned. There is a danger of being crushed by the multitude. This is why He asks the disciples to have a boat ready for Him and from the boat He spoke to the crowds. Especially the excluded and the marginalized

 

Mark insists very much on the expulsion of the unclean spirits. The first miracle of Jesus is the expulsion of the unclean spirits. The first impact caused by Jesus is due to the expulsion of the devil. One of the principal causes of Jesus’ clash is with the unclean spirits. The first power which the Apostles received when they were sent out on mission was the power to expel demons. 

 

 The coming of the Kingdom means the coming of a stronger power. Jesus is “the Stronger Man” Who has come to conquer and overcome Satan, the power of evil, and to take way from Satan those imprisoned by fear. What Mark wants to tell us is this: “Christians are forbidden to be afraid of Satan!” After Jesus rose from the dead, it is madness and a lack of faith to invoke Satan at every moment, as if he still had any power over us.